By Miranda Leonardo
Contributor I am an Italian-Indian woman, who has loved the art of dance since I was a child. I admire only, and dance privately for my own internal strength and independent study. I graduated...

Miranda Leonardo
Contributor I am an Italian-Indian woman, who has loved the art of dance since I was a child. I admire only, and...

Author Sponsor

Ambassadors from the region applaud what the BDSS are doing for international relations

This author Bellies Building Bridges

On the cover: Stefanya

International dance star Stevie Cabaret, aka Stefania, is a woman who enjoys the finer things in life; old cars, vegan foods, good company, and dancing until it hurts. She adheres to the philosophy of reduce, reuse, recycle. She loves the beautiful Mother Earth and I hope that you do too. She believes in the power of belief and uses those powers daily. Not interested in anything that does not serve in the greater good for all Stevie Cabaret promotes peace, love, and community.

Miranda Leonardo
Contributor I am an Italian-Indian woman, who has loved the art of dance since I was a child. I admire only, and...

Author Sponsor

Ambassadors from the region applaud what the BDSS are doing for international relations

This author Bellies Building Bridges

On the cover: Stefanya

International dance star Stevie Cabaret, aka Stefania, is a woman who enjoys the finer things in life; old cars, vegan foods, good company, and dancing until it hurts. She adheres to the philosophy of reduce, reuse, recycle. She loves the beautiful Mother Earth and I hope that you do too. She believes in the power of belief and uses those powers daily. Not interested in anything that does not serve in the greater good for all Stevie Cabaret promotes peace, love, and community.

Miranda Leonardo
Contributor I am an Italian-Indian woman, who has loved the art of dance since I was a child. I admire only, and...

Author Sponsor

Ambassadors from the region applaud what the BDSS are doing for international relations

This author Bellies Building Bridges

On the cover: Stefanya

International dance star Stevie Cabaret, aka Stefania, is a woman who enjoys the finer things in life; old cars, vegan foods, good company, and dancing until it hurts. She adheres to the philosophy of reduce, reuse, recycle. She loves the beautiful Mother Earth and I hope that you do too. She believes in the power of belief and uses those powers daily. Not interested in anything that does not serve in the greater good for all Stevie Cabaret promotes peace, love, and community.

The Bellydance Superstars are a shimmying celebration of the softness and strength that is womanhood.

"We are being strong, confident women onstage and presenting our art, and presenting our bodies as dancers," says Kami Liddle, one of the BDSS. "But at the same time there is this soft, sensual, feminine side to it."

"I think when you turn on MTV or YouTube and see these videos and women are thrusting away, you're thinking, I don't really want to see a woman that way," says Miles Copeland, the creator of the Superstars. "I think our show shows women in a much more positive light."

Copeland knows star quality when he sees it; he managed The Police and Sting, and also founded I.R.S. Records. Perhaps his insistence on elegance over blatant sexuality for the troupe is what makes them so popular with women, who greatly outnumber male audience members.

Since their 2003 debut at Lollapalooza, the Superstars hips have set off Richter scales in 22 countries. The troupe, which will hit Europe and Asia in 2011, is gearing up for a 65-city North American tour with their new show, Bombay Bellywood, which debuts tonight in Santa Barbara and comes to Glendale Friday. The show isn't like what you may have experienced while lapping up baba ghanoush with pita wedges at your favorite Middle Eastern eatery.

People get a taste that belly dancing is the kind of strange women that you find in restaurants that make you uncomfortable, says troupe member Stefanya. This kind of aggressive woman coming after you with some bills and some shaky things who gets in your face.

Belly dance performed by the BDSS is more of a grand spectacle, fueled by Middle Eastern classical and pop music and accented by dozens of vibrant, designer costumes. Syrian-born percussionist Issam Houshan joins the ladies onstage, inspiring 14 pairs of hips to move with such precision and speed its as if they are air-drumming the sounds he creates.

Unlike past shows, Bombay Bellywood has numerous Bollywood routines, which incorporate multiple Indian dance styles in a high-energy, theatricality-charged presentation from that countrys booming film industry.

But there are other forms of slink and slither that create a show as multi-faceted and intriguing as women themselves. There are also traditional, glamorous Egyptian-style belly dancers, the beglittered sirens you'd see in a casbah cabaret, perfumed with sweet yet spicy smoke and the alive with sounds of chiming zills.

Then there are the bohemian Tribal Fusion dancers, whose style is more earthy and grounded, and whose arms move like snakes being charmed out of a basket. The often tattooed and pierced Tribal Fusionists blend Indian and Middle Eastern folk dance with flamenco, Western hip-hop, pop-and-lock, ballet and jazz, and often adorn their bodies with jewelry and headpieces that look like archaeological treasures.

Aside from dazzling audiences with mesmerizing moves and flowy costumes that veil and reveal the dancing hourglasses, Copeland feels the BDSS is serving a deeper mission than entertainment.

"We've created this very interesting bridge between cultures at a time when its really necessary," he says. Copeland, who grew up in the Middle East as the son of a CIA operative, said he's had ambassadors from the region applaud what the BDSS are doing for international relations.

Americans go to the show and see that theres more to Middle Eastern culture than just terrorism, and then Arabs go to the show and see American girls dancing, and they're going, Americans don't hate our culture, they appreciate it. They're up there dancing to our music! Copeland says.

Women have long been seen as social glue, gifted at opening the channels of harmonious communication. In this case, sending a clear, positive message isnt something done in a straight line, but rather in a series of delightful curves that get even curvier when the music starts.

Bellies Building Bridges: Details

"Bellies Building Bridges" was first released on 10.11.2016 and last updated on 8.12.2017 1:50 PM EDT.
Miranda Leonardo submitted this feature to Bellydance.One.
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